If you wake up each morning feeling spent, it’s not just you. There is a general feeling of fatigue throughout the world. Scientists in Singapore have found a reason why. It’s because the human brain is unable to keep up with everything happening in modern life. In a published paper, the researchers collected data on rates of depression, exhaustion, loneliness, and many other factors that contribute to overall fatigue. They also looked at previous studies to narrow down why we feel overwhelmed so much of the time. The conclusion they came to was that our brains simply cannot keep up with the speed and competition of modern life. @busineknc5z ♬ Relapse – Easy Ethan The brain isn’t evolving fast enough The researchers argue that for thousands of years, humanity lived in smaller groups of familiar people, and our brains evolved to respond to immediate, recognizable threats. Within the last century alone, cities have become densely populated with millions of people. The internet doesn’t just connect us to our neighbors but to the entire world. In real time, we have access to news and people everywhere. It’s overwhelming. “Competition is not new, but modern life can make it feel constant,” said study co-author Dr. Jose Yong. “An evolutionary perspective may help explain why people respond so strongly to comparison and the fear of falling behind, even when those signals come from strangers or screens rather than a small social group.” @wearymillennial Modern life is overwhelming. Constant info, fights, and outrage. Find joy in simple moments: quiet time, creative projects, nature, and kids. #MentalHealth #SimpleLiving #Mindfulness #Authenticity #Parenting ♬ original sound – Wearymillennial Competition all the time, everywhere This isn’t to say that cities and the internet are bad, but scientists believe that this constant connection to a significantly larger range of people creates a heightened sense of competition in our minds. Instead of keeping up with those in our town and keeping tabs on local goings-on, we’re comparing ourselves to millions on social media. We are also constantly being fed new information to process and discern through 24-hour news, social media feeds, and the large populations surrounding us. This “evolutionary mismatch” can contribute to several mental and physical health problems, ranging from obesity to depression to anxiety. “Stress, loneliness and anxiety are often treated as personal or lifestyle problems, but they may also reflect a mismatch between the environments people live in and the conditions our minds and bodies evolved to navigate,” said environmental psychologist and study co-author Sarah Chan. “That means we should think not only about individual resilience, but also about how cities and communities are designed.” Our brains need more time to process it all It’s not just that our brains are trying to keep up with what’s happening now, but also that they’re trying to do so without processing our collective past trauma. In 2022, psychologist Naomi Holdt theorized that many people felt so overwhelmed because they were still mentally processing the events of the COVID-19 pandemic. She suggested that society was encouraged to return to normal and get back to work without time to fully process what had happened. This could cause the stress to “catch up,” making people feel even worse. What can we do? The scientists and psychologists aren’t trying to get us to return to an antiquated, simpler time. What they are pushing for is creating better city environments with nature and plant life to reduce stress. They also say that coming up with ideas to create more in-person social connection and digital spaces that reduce comparison would help. Again, it’s not an attempt to turn back the clock, but to encourage city planners, policymakers, and others in power to design the present more thoughtfully and supportively. While it will take a collective effort to help reduce this problem overall, there are some things you can do to help with your personal fatigue. Unplugging at the end of the day by reducing screen time and turning off your phone can help quiet your mind and improve your health. Spending a half hour in nature through a hike or a trip to the park can help, too. These methods can help reduce stress, lower blood pressure, ease anxiety, and combat depression. No matter how you feel, know that you’re definitely not alone. The post Scientists find the ‘evolutionary mismatch’ that makes modern life feel constantly exhausting appeared first on Upworthy.